Newsletter: May 2024
Dear Friends of Joseph House:
This is a big year for anniversaries at the Joseph House. It was the 40th for the Crisis Center this past February, and next July it will be 50 years for the Little Sisters of Jesus and Mary.
It’s hard to believe the passage of time. The years slip away day by day, moment by moment.
As we approach this milestone, we can’t help but reflect on the mystery of our vocation. Addressing God, St. Charles de Foucauld said, “You take us by the hand and lead us, not there where we would wish to go, but there where it is best for us to be.” Can we look around where we are and say yes, this is the best place for me? That is a sign of true happiness. We have followed God to where we belong. Trials and difficulties will always find us, but what counts is that God is by our side.
A defining characteristic of a religious vocation is that we live in community, a daily reminder that we do not live for ourselves alone. In fact, no one does. We all depend on other people, we have responsibilities to them, and we each have a contribution to make to the common good. When fulfilled with love, these obligations become a source of joy.
At Joseph House, our special concern is for the poor, the destitute, the lonely, the homeless, the sick and infirm and all people who feel marginalized and invisible. We will never abandon them. Our efforts aim to relieve their distress and uphold human dignity. This commitment to help our neighbors in need is one we share with you. God has drawn us together because united we can do so much more than anyone acting alone.
Every week, people facing desperate situations come to the Joseph House Crisis Center. We do what you would do: listen with care and respond with love. You are always with us through your support, making a difference in the lives of so many.
Marcel, 47, was working as a cook when he had a heart attack. He seemed to recover and was cleared to go back to work. Six months later he suffered a massive stroke. Unable to work and requiring a wheelchair, Marcel applied for Disability but he has not yet been approved. He lives by himself and has no income. We paid $400 toward his back rent so he would not get evicted.
Desmond, 72, used to work as a carpenter and handyman. Two years ago he had back surgery and can no longer do his job. As a young man he served in Vietnam. He is accustomed to overcoming obstacles in life, but now that he is older it seems that his health is getting the upper hand. His faith, he said, is not faltering however. Desmond was behind $450 in his electric bill. He needed a minimum of $100 to get back on the payment plan. We sent $300 to the utility company.
Sheryl, 59, is a hard worker, both on the job and at home, where she cares for her disabled daughter. Sheryl has worked for many years in the kitchen of a chain restaurant. When her daughter became ill, Sheryl had to take a lot of time off. She was severely reprimanded for this, and feeling mistreated and disrespected, she decided to quit. The restaurant later contacted her and begged her to return. Although Sheryl had other options for employment, she relented and went back. The missed paycheck set her behind in her rent. We contributed $350.
Having to choose between caring for a family member in need and working for a living is an awful decision to make. It’s too big a problem for an individual to handle alone.
Mindy, 27, is a young mother of three children. She is recently divorced and the father is not paying child support. Mindy is trying to raise her family on a temporary welfare check of $468 monthly. As you can imagine, that’s impossible. Mindy came to the Crisis Center the day before the water was going to be turned off in her home. We paid the full amount of the bill, $246.
Althea, 56, is the linchpin of her family. She took care of her mother until she passed away, and now she is raising her three grandchildren because their mother is incarcerated. In order to be granted legal custody of her grandchildren, Althea needed to move into a larger apartment with enough bedrooms. The modest income from her job (about $1,500 monthly) could not cover all of the extra expenses and deposits involved with moving. We gave her $450 to help with her rent.
Christie, 72, and her husband have lived in their home for more than 50 years. After the furnace broke down, they resorted to using electric space heaters. The winter season drove up their electric bill and they couldn’t pay all of it. We paid $400 toward the balance due.
Dana, 58, spent five weeks in rehab for alcoholism. She is getting back into the flow of life while maintaining her sobriety. Dana came to the Crisis Center shortly before resuming her seasonal job in a resort area. She was afraid of getting evicted. Her son had helped her with the rent, but his income from working in a grocery store only goes so far. We helped with $350.
Tessie, 69, lives alone on a $900 monthly Disability check. She took out a small loan to pay the bills that were piling up, but that has not enabled her to get ahead. Tessie was especially worried about her electric bill. Although she applied for help last January at another agency, she never heard back from them. She then went to our Crisis Center and discovered our help is immediate. We paid $400 toward her overdue bill.
Our broken world needs to be healed with charity, justice, and mercy. Each of us has a part to play. With deep gratitude, we thank you and our volunteers for joining us in our ministry.
You’ve probably heard this story before. Two men were each carrying a heavy load of bricks in a wheelbarrow. A visitor asked the first man what he was doing. “What does it look like?” he grumbled. “I am moving these bricks from one pile to another.” The second man was asked the same question but his response was quite different. “I am helping to build a cathedral,” he said with pride.
Living with a sense of vocation adds meaning and value to what we do. It gives us strength to persevere when times get tough.
There is perhaps no vocation more noble than that of motherhood. We wish a belated Happy Mother’s Day to all mothers, godmothers, and every woman who loves with a mother’s heart. May you always feel the warmth and appreciation you so richly deserve. Peace and blessings to all.
Your Little Sisters of Jesus and Mary
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Prayer for My Life’s Dream
Your dream, O Master, is to lay hold of me with your divine life.
Your dream is to purify me, to re-create me, to make me a new person in your image.
Your dream is to fill me with your charity.
Your dream is to bind me to you to make me strong, so that I can overcome evil and be constant in doing good.
Your dream is to enflame me with an untiring zeal to spread your kingdom in this world.
Your dream is to possess me in this life and in the life to come.
O Master, may your dream come true. May I be able to give all you ask of me.
Amen.
It has been four years since our dear Sr. Joan passed away. This is a prayer she had copied out by hand and kept with her. The author is unknown. Though each of us is called to a different journey in life, God has the same dream for everyone.